BE fan in the crowd captures it all

Dr. Eddie Collins is one of the biggest Bishop England High School sports fans around. But you won’t find him applauding at Battling Bishops sporting events.

 

That’s because the 74-year-old Collins is busy and has his hands full with camera equipment, taking pictures of BE players and sporting moments for posterity’s sake. It harkens him back to the time when he was a photographer and sports editor of his high school yearbook at A.C. Flora High School in Columbia.

 

Collins had a successful career in the dental profession after graduating from Clemson in 1970 and from the College of Dental Medicine at MUSC in 1973. He retired from active teaching in 2015, but retains his 48-year faculty appointment at the rank of professor emeritus.

 

That was his vocation. His avocation became Bishop England sports. First as a fan, then as a photographer.

 

“I became hopelessly and pleasantly hooked on BE about 10 years ago,” Collins said. “(Athletic Director) Paul Runey’s oldest brother, Michael, and I were in dental school together and became close friends. Knowing I loved sports, he suggested I attend one of Paul’s basketball games and the rest is history. Paul and I are good friends. He started calling me ‘Doc’ years ago and it seems to have stuck with the teams, parents and staff.”

 

While Collins loved sports while he was in high school, he didn’t play them. He was more of a “water and woods man” because of his passion for fishing and hunting.

 

Still, he had the time and interest to become a valued volunteer at BE because of his photography skills.

 

“My traditional allegiance has been to the girl’s basketball and volleyball teams,” Collins said “I’ve missed only three basketball games in 10 years and very few volleyball matches. I travel with both of the teams and take a ton of pictures. Jeep McCabe is a good friend and he’s helped me a lot with the technical aspects of sports photography.

 

“This year I was asked by a parent to take lacrosse team photos and Coach Jeff Weiner was very receptive to my taking photos during the games,” Collins said. “I think, of the three, lacrosse is the hardest sport to capture good photos. Quite honestly, I got hooked on the team’s spirit, talent and domination.”

 

Collins said he can’t remember the reasons for missing any of the three basketball games in 10 years. 

 

“It wasn’t by choice,” Collins said. “It would have been an unavoidable situation.”

 

Collins’ biggest memories came at the end of the season when it only seemed like the girls’ basketball team or volleyball team would play for a state championship.

 

“I saw them all,” Collins said. “I went to every one and it was a thrill just to be there.”

 

Collins also remembers fondly all the state titles collected by the volleyball team. Another big memory involved Collins arranging for coach Cindy Baggott’s team to take part in a St. Patrick’s Day parade by securing a trailer for the float.

 

Ask Collins who his favorite BE players he’s covered and he’ll respond, Michelle Boykin and Mary Harriet Moore without even hesitating. He pointed out that both players had talent and mettle, which helped them be successful outside the athletic arena.